


Brotherly Rivalry

by devilinthedetails



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Bobbing for apples, Brothers, Family, Fun, Gen, Humor, Rivalry, Teasing, game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 02:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16461326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Liam and Jasson's brotherly rivalry takes the form of bobbing for apples.





	Brotherly Rivalry

Brotherly Rivalry

“Uncle Gary says we’re supposed to fish the apples out with our teeth,” Liam explained to his younger brother, Jasson, as he dumped two apples into a barrel full of water with a rather rewarding splash. He referred to Sir Gareth as uncle even though he was actually Papa’s cousin, not his brother, but Sir Gareth and Papa were closer than many brothers–certainly closer than Liam and Jasson, who were more rivals engaged in an eternal struggle for superiority than friends. “Whoever gets his apple fist wins and gets to dunk the other underwater.” 

As he and Jasson bent over the hogshead, Liam was confident of his victory since he had always been better than Jasson at anything that didn’t involve books. While Jasson seemed surprised by how the water seeped into his nose and eyes, Liam ignored the sting, focusing only on snatching a bobbing apple with his teeth. Once he had a stem wedged in his mouth, he emerged from the water and thrust Jasson toward the bottom of the barrel. 

He laughed at the sight of Jasson’s feet flailing in a futile, reflexive attempt to swim to the surface before lifting his pressing palms from Jasson’s back, allowing Jasson to rise out of the water. 

Jasson, his hair and face drenched, spluttered and shivered in the autumn air. Scowling at his little brother who would probably get him in trouble by tattling about this game since he had lost it, Liam warned, “You better not catch a sniffle and go sniveling to the healers just because of one little dunking. Don’t be a runt.” 

“I probably caught my death cold, thanks to you being a brute.” Jasson’s green eyes glared at his older brother as he swiped his sleeve under his dripping nose. 

“It wouldn’t be much of a loss if you died.” Liam took advantage of one of the perks of being a big brother to rumple Jasson’s sopping hair, spraying water all over the leaves that dappled the courtyard. “You aren’t the heir or even the spare like me.”


End file.
